National Institute for Clinical Excellence

HC Deb 28 October 2002 vol 391 c663W

Gregory Barker

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce delays in obtaining NICE guidance for cancer treatments. [75800]

Ms Blears

When the Department becomes aware of an impending licence for a significant new cancer treatment it is considered for referral to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). The appraisal process takes a minimum of 54 weeks from referral to completion as it has been designed to allow the full participation of patients, clinicians, companies and stakeholders. NICE is fully aware of the need to ensure that the process is as streamlined as possible, without losing any of the important safeguards it contains, in order to publish guidance soon after the treatments are launched.